Christmas Time
by Sunscorched
Summary: Christmas is give and take.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Christmas Time

Author: Scorch

Email: Miss_

Rating: NC-17

Category: Smut

Pairing: Doctor/Rose

Summary: PWP.

Disclaimer: I don't own nixies.

Distribution: Teaspoon, Lea's place. Anywhere else, just ask and you will receive.

Warnings: Strong language and scenes featuring explicit sexual situations.

_Chapter 1_...

Jackie Tyler had one busy morning.

She'd been on her feet since seven, getting things ready for Rose and that bloody Doctor of hers coming for Christmas. The turkey was on slow and should be ready by twelve-ish tomorrow, the vegetables were all done and covered in their pans, which left her with the odd present to wrap. She hadn't the faintest idea of what to buy her daughter this year, what with Rose gallivanting round the universe and all that, but she'd done her best.

No matter how old she was or where she'd been, Jackie Tyler knew her Rose would love a good pair of trainers and that was she'd bought. A lovely white pair of trainers with little pink stripes down the sides. They'd go with Rose's favourite pair of jeans just nice.

Jackie straightened and sighed as she pushed back a piece of hair. She looked at the presents all neatly wrapped on the table, waiting to be opened by a much missed daughter. Only another couple of hours or so and they'd be there.

Rose and the Doctor, that was.

What a job that was. Looking for his present. For all she knew, aliens didn't have Christmas, but never mind. He was coming to her house and he would have to live by the rules. Rules that were carefully thought out.

No meddling with Rose under her roof. No swanning off before, during, or after Christmas dinner, and no invasions. She'd purposely hidden all her biscuits, especially the custard creams. Every time that Doctor came, she ended up short on all sorts of things. Biscuits, chocolates, bananas...

They all seemed to go walkabout when that alien was here.

A knock on the door jolted Jackie out of her thoughts. "Hold your horses," she hollered loud enough to be heard in Newcastle. "I'm coming." She checked the wall clock as she went past. A bit early, weren't they? Not due for another few hours.

That had her yanking the door wide open and her mouth ready to greet them, but the words swiftly died when she saw her daughter near tears on her doorstep.

Jackie's gaze went from Rose's dirty face to jeans torn on one knee to broken nails and shoeless feet, then back to the dirty face. "Sweetheart?" She heard herself say. If that Doctor had done anything...

She watched her daughter try to hold back more tears. "They took everything, mum," Rose said in a voice full of forced strength with a thick layer of sadness. "All my presents. They took them. An my shoes."

And Jackie's heart broke as she watched fat tears fall down her daughter's cheeks. "Oh," she immediately gathered Rose in a giant hug and brought her into the flat. She rubbed her daughter's cold arms as she led her to the sofa. "Don't you worry about that, love. They're just things."

"But... But..." Rose sniffled and wiped her face with her sleeve, smearing dirt under her nose. "I got a job an everything, mum. Didn't want the Doctor to give me money no more an they took it."

"Ssh," the Doctor may not be Jackie's favourite person, but he'd never see her daughter hurt and her daughter would never get mugged on that of ship of his, either. "You just sit there and mum'll put the kettle on. Make us a nice cuppa tea, get you all warmed up. You sit tight, sweetheart."

Oh, her poor Rose. Having seen all that out there in space only to come back home for Christmas to be mugged. Jackie had never been so ashamed of her species. That Doctor might have a point, insulting humans the way he did.

She was just about to go to the kitchen and make that cuppa when her daughter's hand grasped her arm. "What is it, love? You tell mum and I'll fix it." As much as she could, anyway. God. It was at times like this when she missed Pete so much. Oh, she'd protect her little girl as much as she could, but she knew her Pete would make things better. He'd give Rose all the cuddles and paternal protection she could handle, plus extra.

No how good a mum she was, Jackie knew nothing could replace a father in the eyes of a child. At least not when it came to her Pete. Not so good at business, but he never stopped trying. Always coming up with one thing or another and it was all for her and their daughter, and Jackie loved him for it.

Rose sniffled again. "Don't tell the Doctor and Jack I was mugged, will you?" She'd faced a Dalek and Slitheen and the Gelf, yet she couldn't fight a couple of human muggers? Stupid, she thought, bloody stupid. "I tried to fight them, mum. Really."

That explained the fat lip and black eye, Jackie thought angrily. She knew who the muggers would be. There were a few choices on an estate like this, but only two who would actually have the bottle to mug her daughter. Taking presents and money and her shoes? Jackie Tyler was disgusted at that, but physically hurting her daughter was below the belt.

She knew a couple of lads herself who liked Rose well enough and she'd give those lads a call just as soon as the Doctor was done with the blokes who'd mugged her little girl.

Jackie smiled at her daughter and lied through her teeth. "Don't you worry, sweetheart. I won't tell the Doctor."

*~*~*

He didn't do this.

Didn't do Christmas.

Didn't do families.

Didn't do domestic.

Didn't roam the galaxy in search of presents, either.

Yet here he was.

On a planet known as Qrullqru, pronounced as Chi-rue-ell-chi-rue, looking for Christmas presents.

"Christmas presents," the Doctor scoffed as he picked out a pretty green tunic made from pure Qrullqru silk. Rose liked green. She said it made her blonde hair stand out more and it made her look more tanned. Personally, she didn't anything to make her stand out. All anyone needed to do was look at her and they'd see.

"Bloody Christmas presents." He was nine hundred and he was buying Christmas presents. Not just any presents, though.

Oh no. Presents for Jackie bloody Tyler and Ricky the bloody Idiot.

He had no problem with presents for Rose. He liked getting presents for Rose. He liked getting his cheek kissed and he liked getting hugged. He only got those when he saved her life or when he bought her a present. He preferred buying her a present to putting her in danger. Not that she ever seemed to mind danger, but still.

Who was he kidding?

Rose Tyler loved getting into mischief. She loved wandering off and getting into trouble. Probably did it on purpose half the time.

The Doctor picked up a Bearutholion. "Just once," he said to the unmoving mouth. "Just once I wish she would do as she was told."

The Bearutholion remained silent. "Didn't think you'd understand," he said with a smile as he shook it at the seller. "I'll take this and the green tunic, thanks..."

His sonic screwdriver buzzed and then buzzed more, harder, more insistent.

The instant he touched it was the instant he realised it wasn't his screwdriver, but his mobile bloody phone. He was a Time Lord who carried around a 21st century Nokia so he could be checked on by a 21st century nineteen year old shop girl.

He paused his disturbing thoughts. Rose knew he was shopping for presents and wouldn't interrupt him for the world... Unless she was interrupting him for the world.

"Yes! Haha!" The Doctor jumped on the spot, spun round, and kissed the Bearutholion squarely on it's mouth. He gave his audience a manic grin. "I get out of Christmas with Jackie Tyler!"

He eagerly pressed the answer button. "Hello, Miss. Tyler, this is your Doctor speaking. I'm quite busy at the moment. Please make an appointment with my secretary. Oh wait, you are my secretary. Not getting a bonus, mind you. You make a bad cuppa. Learn it from your mother shaped battleaxe?" He chuckled, anticipating a good chastising from his little Earth girl.

"Doctor?"

The Doctor's excitement immediately turned into dread. Jackie Tyler had his phone number. There was no place in the galaxy he could hide now. Especially not after what he just said about her tea skills. Or lack there of.

He tried to climb out of the deep hole he found himself in. "On Freyathena bad means good."

"It's Rose, Doctor," Jackie said and her voice wiped away his good mood.

"Ten seconds, Jackie."

Ten seconds was all it took for him to reach Rose and he knew the TARDIS would be smoking because of it.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Christmas Time

Author: Scorch

Email: Miss_

Rating: NC-17

Category: Smut

Pairing: Doctor/Rose

Summary: PWP.

Disclaimer: I don't own nixies.

Distribution: Teaspoon, Lea's place. Anywhere else, just ask and you will receive.

Warnings: Strong language and scenes featuring explicit sexual situations.

_Chapter 2_...

Jackie looked at her daughter, worried. She'd finally persuaded Rose to have a little nap.

She'd managed to clean Rose's face up some, but there were still smudges of dirt from where she'd been shoved to the ground and blood from the lip which had met a fist. Then there was her right eye...

The bruise had slowly been coming out over the last hour or so and now it was nasty purple and black.

Jackie covered her mouth and turned away, shutting her eyes against the sight of her daughter like that. Her Rose hadn't done anything to deserve this. She'd just been coming home for Christmas to have dinner and share presents, not get the life beaten out of her.

Hopefully the Doctor wouldn't be long.

She sighed. Ten seconds he said, ten little seconds. He'd told Rose they'd been gone for twelve hours once and she'd been gone a year. How long did it take to get from 1 million years in the future to 2005 anyway?

Not that long if the sound coming from outside was anything to go by.

Jackie tiptoed to the front door and opened it as quietly as she could and watched the Doctor from the landing. He saw her looking down at him and stopped. She swore she saw his face go pale, but he'd broke into a run before she could get a proper look.

It took him, what, twenty seconds to get from being down there to being right in front of her, yet Jackie didn't care.

She felt the Doctor take hold of her arms, his hands and entire body shaking. "Jackie?"

She'd never heard a tone like that come from him. He sounded like a little boy who'd lost his whole world. Maybe he had if what Rose said about that Time War thing was true. Of course it was true. Rose would never say such a thing if it wasn't true and suddenly she felt her heart melt for him, even just a little.

"She was here," the Doctor said to her. "She was on Earth. She was meant to be safe. I sent her here to be safe for Christmas." Steel blue eyes begged, truly begged, her not to say what he thought.

"She's alive, Doctor," Jackie said and watched his eyes close as relief wash over him. His entire body sagged and his hands relaxed while his frown melted into a smooth forehead. His eyes opened and they gave away just how frightening ten seconds could be for him.

How often had ten seconds been terrifying for him? He went around, saving this and that, being an unsung hero only to lose what he cared about. Jackie's heart thawed a bit more towards the man who stole her daughter.

She really didn't want to tell him, didn't want to see him cry. God, what had this alien turned Jackie Tyler into? Pete would sort him out, good and proper. "She's alive, Doctor, but not alright."

The Doctor's relief rapidly fell into confusion. "What d'you mean? Alive but not alright? She was buying presents! How could she not be alright?" He slapped his forehead. "Oh, right. What was I thinking? Rose safe on Earth in 2005? Great place, really. Full of all sorts. Murderers and rape..." The moment that word left his mouth was the moment he ceased to exist.

No, no, no, and no again. Not his little Earth girl. Not raped. He didn't care about the paradoxes it would cause, he'd go back and stop it, plain and simple.

Not Rose. Please, never Rose.

"She was mugged, Doctor." Jackie interrupted before he got away with himself.

"Mugg... Rose? Rose!" He quite literally pushed past Jackie and into the flat and aimed his feet to the couch, where he found Rose waking up.

The Doctor was kneeling down and stroking her hair away from her face before she could say anything. "Look at you," he said, smiling and shaking his head. "What've I told you about trouble, eh? Stop finding it."

Jackie closed the front door and watched, fiddling with her wedding and engagement rings as she bit her lip.

Rose's lower lip wobbled the tiniest bit, but he beat her to it. "None of that, you hear," he said and pulled a hankie out of his jacket pocket. "Don't do tears, me. See?" He dabbed his eyes then showed her the dry material.

Jackie watched her daughter fight the tears with a light laugh and a smile. She hadn't been able to get Rose to smile. Maybe that alien wasn't so bad after all.

"But..." Rose attempted, but was cut off again.

The Doctor pressed his thumb against her mouth, softly stroking the pout that wibbled and wobbled as she tried not to cry. Seeing her holding back hurt. "No buts, Rose Tyler. No buts. Now let me look at you."

He had large hands and long fingers more suited to a pianist than a Time Lord, but oh, how gentle those hands and fingers were. They trailed softly across her forehead, smoothing out the frown and wrinkles, then travelled down to her eyes. He only needed a feather touch to make her hiss and flinch from her sore right eye, and he brushed his thumb over the dark colour of her skin.

"Oh, Rose," the Doctor said, continuing to stroke and sooth his Earth girl. "Let's get some ice on that, shall we?" Blue irises glanced at Jackie once. "Ice." Once he got the swelling taken care of, he could go fetch his dermal regenerator and sort the rest of her out.

He waited until Jackie left the room before speaking. "Gonna tell me what happened or do I have to sneak into your mind?"

Rose gave a tiny little laugh and sniffed, nodding her thanks when he offered his hankie. "Not much to tell, really. Was coming home with the presents and got mugged. They took everything, Doctor."

Somehow, saying it to him cracked the shell just enough to let him give comfort.

He slid his jacket off and wrapped it round her and pulled her to him, one hand lazily toying with her hair and the other holding her in place. "S'alright now. M'here," but words didn't seem to work so well.

Rose buried her face in his chest, crying quietly until she felt his cool lips on her cheek, lingering a second longer than necessary. "They're just things," he told her, his voice a whisper of it's usual sound. "Can't replace you. I'd rather you than some silly old present."

"Dice," was her answer. "Furry dice. For the TARDIS. Blue to match the doors."

The Doctor closed his eyes against the emotion slowly building inside. It wouldn't do any good to show just how angry he actually was. She'd put so much into this Christmas. Their first Christmas, she'd said, insinuating they would have more together. She'd even gotten herself a little job delivering maps on Epsilonia Three, making herself a tidy sum while learning a good dose of intergalactic geography along the way.

He squeezed her that bit harder and once more kissed her cheek. "D'you know what, Rose Tyler? You really are something else." Who else would get him a present for his TARDIS?

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

The Doctor pressed his lips to her forehead while his thumbs traced each side of her jaw. "Here now," he murmured. "Am here now." He was going to see her alright, then he was going to take the Tardis and go see who had done this to her. Once he found them, he was going to show them what it was like to face a storm.

"Got the ice, Doctor." Jackie saw the look her daughter missed and she really didn't want to be on the wrong side of him. If she saw any other woman with a bloke who looked like that, she'd be quite worried, but the man right in front of her wouldn't hurt Rose for the world. That much was obvious.

He took the ice. "Might hurt a bit," he said and Rose pulled a face, then flinched from the biting cold that hit her skin. "S'alright, s'slright."

Jackie had never seen a bloke be so gentle. She watched her daughter settle and let him put the ice against her skin without so much as a whimper. She remembered once when her Pete had done just that when she'd taken a small trip while pregnant. Her husband had been so worried, he'd whisked her right off to the nearest hospital.

If only her Pete could be here to see their Rose be treated in the same way by a decent bloke. Well, decent alien as it were.

"All my presents," Rose struggled to keep her voice even. "Yours an Mickey's an Jack's an mum's..."

The Doctor pressed a finger to her lips. "Don't you worry about them." He increased the pressure of the ice against the swelling just below her eye. He hated that he had to hurt her, even just for a second. "Not for a minute. Me an Rickey an your mum an Jack? We'd rather have you."

Rose covered his large hand with her much smaller one and squeezed his fingers. "Mickey."

He rolled his blue eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Mickey. Mickey bloody Smith. Wha'dya get him? Bet it wasn't furry dice."

If it hadn't been for her tiny giggle, he would've been sorry for his words. She shook her head. "Got him an adaptable screwdriver on sale from Discount Autoparts. Cost me six quid."

The Doctor's laugh did more to help her than the ice and his care. "So the Tardis an me are the only ones lucky enough to get furry dice?"

Rose nodded, instantly regretting the move when her sore skin pulled tight. "Ow!"

"Careful, careful," his voice was as gentle as his touch. Despite his touch being feather light, he eased the pressure so it was better for her. He didn't want to see her hurt, couldn't stand to see her hurt. The thought of her hurting by his hand, even unintentional, made his hearts stop. "There we go. That's better. What did'ja get 'er, then?"

His little Earth girl giggled and he knew she was watching her mum's expression. "Obviously didn't take my advice."

Jackie's eyes dangerously narrowed as she stared heavily at the Doctor. "An just what was your advice, eh?"

"Don't you dare, Rose Tyler. I mean it. Don't you..."

"A self-help book," Rose's smile was worth anything her mother was going too do to him.

"Dare," the Doctor finished on a sigh, not surprised when he got a swift clout round the ear. "Oi!"

Ooh, that bloody alien was lucky her Pete wasn't alive. His guts would be garters right about now.

"Didn't get you one, though," Rose stated and leaned a little further into his hand, not feeling the soreness quite as bad thanks to the numbing miracle of ice. "Was that hair clip I saw on that planet with the cats and balls."

Jackie smiled at her daughter. Rose knew she loved cats. "I've been giving that foster home thing a bit more thought," she said. "Fiona from the CPL has these six kittens that were rescued from a field. Should see them, Rose. All eyes and ears they are. A bit like you were when you were born."

The Doctor spared the mother a glance. "CPL?" He asked, adjusting the ice on Rose's cheek.

"Cat Protection League," his little Earth girl answered. "Mum's been thinking about it for ages, haven't you? You should. You'd take good care of them. Wouldn't she, Doctor?"

Jackie glared at him and silently dared him to say anything different, but he didn't. To her surprise, the Doctor's face split into a grin that flashed all his teeth. "She'd be a fantastic foster mum. You should do it, Jackie."

He saw the looks of disbelief from both Tyler ladies and shrugged. "Everyone should have a home," he said, that grin still in place. "Including kittens. Most people have voices they can use, but animals don't. They need people to speak for them, to help them when they can't help themselves."

She nodded. "I'll give Fiona a ring, then. You two do what you normally do." She went to fetch the phone, but paused and gave him a warning glare. "An I don't mean go off in that machine of yours to do God knows what you aliens do."

"Mum!" Rose felt her face burn red. "We're not like that."

The Doctor couldn't let such an opportunity go. "Us aliens do a lot of things. Which one do you mean?"

"Doctor!" His little Earth girl said, but a tad too late.

"Ow!" His free hand held the ear that just met the hand of Jackie Tyler. "What did'ja do that for?"

"Alien or not, you're still a bloke." Jackie snapped right back at him and went for the phone.

He looked at his giggling companion. "Don't you laugh. That hurt!"

Rose's laugh faded into a soft smile that rounded her cheeks. "You have a home too, Doctor." Before he could say anything, "We can't be what you lost, but here you always have a home, yeah? Always welcome for whatever reason. Cuppa tea, something to eat."

The Doctor's hand faltered and his expression intensified. "Rose..."

"No," she covered his hand with hers. "No matter what happens, Doctor. I know it's just a two bedroom flat on an estate, but..."

"Oh, Rose." He loved her, he really did. She couldn't replace what he lost, no-one could, but she tried so hard. Opening herself to him, offering him her heart and home, and he knew she'd offer her mind if he asked or needed.

Forgetting about her injured face, the Doctor cupped her cheek and spread his fingers out only to brush her fat lip with his thumb. As quickly as he touched her, he pulled back, his blue eyes brimming with remorse.

She didn't give him the chance to say sorry. "Didn't hurt," she placed his thumb back and smiled against his skin, and relished in his gentle touch. "Doesn't hurt."

Steel-blue eyes showed his hesitation. "It doesn't?"

Rose shook her head. "You don't hurt."

The Doctor slowly brushed his thumb over her lip, feeling the heat caused by swelling and saw the forming bruise on her jaw. He swallowed back the anger. She needed some good old fashioned TLC, not anger, even if it wasn't directed at her.

She closed her eyes and sighed. "Doctor."

Then he noticed the bright, multicoloured socks on her feet. He frowned. When she left the TARDIS, she'd been wearing her white ones with the pink bow on the top. He heard Jackie return to the living room and glanced up at her, his mouth tightening into a thin line when she confirmed his thoughts.

His little Earth girl had been made to walk all the way through the estate without any shoes in the middle of winter. God, her feet must've been freezing.

The Doctor didn't care if her mother was there or not. He leaned up and gently pressed his lips to hers, making her eyes blink open in surprise. His arms went right round her, his hand stroking her hair as though it would make things better. He pulled away to give just enough space for him to talk. "Never leaving you alone again, Rose. Ever."

Never let anyone hurt her.

That seemed to do the trick and Rose couldn't stop it no matter how hard she tried.

It started off as soft, little sniffs and she hid her face against shoulder, crying out her shock and fright.

The Doctor's hearts broke for her. He murmured comforting words and noises into her ear and just held her, silently vowing to find whoever did this and personally throw them into the first blackhole he came across. There was one not too far from Earth, come to think of it. It was a relatively small hole compared to other holes, but a hole nonetheless, and it would do its intended job quite nicely.

Jackie watched the scene play out in front of her. He seemed to have everything in hand. She took a much closer look, her eyes narrowing dangerously. A little too much in hand, if you asked her.

"Ow!" The Doctor got such a shock from the slap to his head that he fell backwards and away from Rose, landing squarely on his backside. He glared at the mother. "What was that for?"

She simply arched a brow and gestured to where his hand had been on her daughter's person.

Rose covered her mouth in an attempt to muffle her giggles, but it was no good. She'd never seen a bloke's ears go red before and definitely not that red. She was so very tempted to tell her mum the Doctor could have a feel anytime he liked, but thought better of it.

He looked to his little Earth girl for help and saw he was going to get nothing bar giggles and sparkling brown eyes. Suddenly his head didn't hurt that much no more.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Christmas Time

Author: Scorch

Email: Miss_

Rating: NC-17

Category: Smut

Pairing: Doctor/Rose

Summary: PWP.

Disclaimer: I don't own nixies.

Distribution: Teaspoon, Lea's place. Anywhere else, just ask and you will receive.

Warnings: Strong language and scenes featuring explicit sexual situations.

_Chapter 3_...

Rose clung onto him as he carried her over the estate road towards the TARDIS, letting her head relax on his shoulder. She'd tried to insist she would be fine walking, but the Doctor had none of it, demanding he carry her or he'd turn the turkey into a roasted banana. It was only her mother's death stare that let him go ahead with his plan.

The Doctor smiled when he felt her snuggle further into his jacket and by the time they reached his ship, she had her key ready and waiting for the lock. His smile widened. "Clever little ape."

"Daft little Time Lord."

"Less of that little, if you don't mind."

"Daft big Time Lord doesn't sound right, though." Rose pulled the door open enough for him to walk inside, the warm air a welcome change from the chilly winter night outside.

The instant the door was soundly shut, the Doctor gave an almighty full-body shiver that ran right through. "Blimey," he said with another shiver. "Cold isn't in it. Fancy packing in Christmas and hitting the sunny shores of Valoria 9 instead? We could meet Jack an keep him out of trouble."

"An what, Doctor? Suffer the sight of him in a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops? 'Sides, we promised mum."

He hoisted her up a bit higher as he walked towards the medical bay. "You promised her, not me. An what's wrong with Jack in a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops? Quite like flip-flops myself."

Rose smiled against his cheek, the motion bringing a touch of pain to her swollen eye and lip. "That was all he was wearing, Doctor."

The Time Lord paused. "I see your point. Christmas it is."

"Am looking forward to it, you know. Our first Christmas."

"First, eh? Sounds like you're planning more domestics for me."

"That's cos I am," she replied. "Lot's of stuff planned for us. You an me an Jack. There's Easter with eggs an sweets and pancakes. Valentine's Day with flowers an cards."

The Doctor mentally thanked the TARDIS for opening the medical bay door for him and he carefully sat his little Earth girl on the comfortable bed. He took a moment to study her injuries so he knew what he needed to make her better. Her eye was definitely the worst of it. So black and blue and badly swollen, he was surprised it wasn't shut. Her lower lip was cut just off center and that was swollen, too, but not as much.

He looked her over, only just seeing her scraped knee through her torn jeans. Involuntarily, he reached out and touched the small wound, causing her leg to flex and jerk away from him. Obviously that stung quite a bit. When his gaze reached her face, he saw her hair hiding her black eye and her lower lip was being hidden by the top lip.

"Rose."

The sheer authority in his voice and tone made her head snap up to look at him. She'd never heard him speak like that before. It was a tone that commanded attention and demanded to be listened too. "Doctor?"

"You don't hide from me," he spoke slow, his voice thick with emotion. "Not ever. Understand? You're beautiful, Rose Tyler. A few bumps and bruises or no."

She nodded and pushed her hair behind her ear. "Okay. I won't."

The Doctor grinned maniacally. "Now, we need the epidermal regenerator for that cut, then we need the arnica cream to bring out those bruises. Treatable, yes, but so much better to let them heal on their own."

Rose watched him go here and there, picking out what he needed and listening to him shout out a triumphant HA when he found something he probably didn't know he had. She moved to slip his jacket off, wincing when she pulled a muscle in the shoulder that received a punch when they knocked her to the ground.

"Doctor?" She felt like a dumb kid when her eyes started to fill with more tears.

He was immediately there, easing his jacket off of her. "Ssh, ssh. S'alright, sweetheart. Let me see." What they did to her was uncalled for. His hands slipped under her jumper and he oh so carefully lifted it up and off before turning her to the side so he could see.

The Doctor froze.

She had an entire fist print in her shoulder. He could count all five knuckles and saw the finger size of who'd hit her. The bruise hadn't started forming yet, but he knew it was going to be a nasty one indeed. He went to trace the marks, but stopped himself. If removing his jacket hurt her enough to call out for him, then he wasn't going to make it worse by touching.

All he could think about was how many times she'd put her life on the line for the same humans who did this to her and he knew she'd do it again. Stupid, clever, brave little ape that she was, and he couldn't love her more for it.

Rose sniffed. "Didn't know it was there before. Jus' felt it."

He used every bit of Time Lord mental power he had to keep the fury inside so she didn't see. When the Doctor faced her a moment later, he was all comforting smiles and pats on the head. "Don't you worry your pretty little head. We'll have you right as rain in no time."

She nodded and pulled up the strap of her tank top. "You called me sweetheart."

The Doctor's thumb hesitated on the activational button of the epidermal regenerator. "I did."

"Sounded nice," she replied. "Liked it."

He wanted this so much with her. Wanted to lay with her at night, wanted to watch her put on her make-up in the morning, wanted to be her lover, but what right did he have? She was so young and he was a grumpy old man with the blood of millions on his hands.

He still couldn't turn away. Once selfish, always selfish, he guessed.

"Yeah?"

"Like it when you call me lotsa things, Doctor."

The Doctor closed his eyes for a second. "Rose..."

"Like it when you call me that."

"It's your name. Loadsa people call you that."

She shook her head. "Not like you do. They don't make it special."

"What about Rickey?" He asked, shooting her a sharp glance through sharper blue irises. "Doesn't he make it special?"

Rose blinked. "It's Mickey an yeah, 'course he does, but he's my mate. It's different to you."

"How different?"

"Different 'cos he doesn't say it the way you do. Dunno, s'just different. Feels different, thas'all."

The Doctor looked at his little Earth girl and gauged her reaction as he spoke. "You need to take your jeans off, sweetheart." He was amused to see first confusion, then surprise, and finally realisation. Then her face turned a pretty shade of pink as she blushed at the name.

Rose hopped off the bed, popping the two buttons before unzipping her jeans. She gave a quirky yet sad sort of smile. "S'good thing am wearing no shoes else I'd fall over."

He chuckled lightly. If she was making jokes, then she was just fine. "Want a hand?"

"Got two, thanks. You'll be asking what my sign is next."

"What is your sign?"

"No entry."

The Doctor sneered. There was the Rose he knew and loved. "You know what, Rose Tyler. A typical woman is what you are. Typical."

"An what's a typical woman?" She asked with a smile, allowing him to pick her up and put her back on the bed, feeling a clench deep inside when his fingertips softly slid down her thigh.

"Cheeky is what and you are the cheekiest of the lot." He knelt so he was eye level with her poorly knee. He could see tiny pieces of gravel lodged in the scrape and realised why it stung so much when he touched it earlier. The top layer of her skin had literally been scraped off by the ground, leaving raw flesh open to all sorts. It was going to sting a bit more when he put the antiseptic on it before using the regenerator.

"Okay sweetheart," the Doctor smiled up at her. "Just gonna give it a quick wipe with this and get all that dirt out, make it nice and clean."

Rose knew from past experiences with scrapes and cuts how rotten antiseptic could be, so she prepared herself with a replying smile and a grimace. "What you waiting for? Christmas?"

"See? Cheeky." He did it fast as he could while being as thorough as he could, swiping the tissue from top to bottom at least thrice, and all around the injury.

She yelled out in shock at both the coldness of the tissue and the stinging sensation now shooting through her leg. It felt like ten wasps were getting her all at once. "Doctor!"

He replaced the antiseptic tissue with the regenerator and pressed the switch, going over each and every bit of her knee until all that was left was a nice piece of brand new, mostly healed skin. "I can fully heal it if you want, but it's..."

"Better for it to heal itself," she finished in a slightly grumpy voice. "It's alright now. Honest. Thank you, Doctor."

He fell silent as he straightened, careful not to look at her for the same amount of time. "I don't want to take advantage of you, Rose. I'm not going to take advantage." She meant too much for him to do that.

Rose gave a half smile. "Understand, but you wouldn't be, you know? Taking advantage. I want this, too, but..."

"But...?" He gave an encouraging smile for her to continue.

"Mouth's a bit sore."

The Doctor blinked and stared at her, not quite sure if she meant what he thought she meant. Slowly, her lips twitched as her brown eyes twinkled with humour and mischief. She _did_ mean what he thought she meant.

Images were in his head before he could stop them and his groan echoed through the room.

Rose felt a tight almost painful clench deep inside at the sound. It was low and deep and male and oh, it was delicious listening to it. She licked her lips, eyes involuntarily dropping to that place between his legs. She felt her heart pick up speed as she stared at the thick outline hidden by black denim.

He followed her line of sight and watched his own cock flex then get harder and harder until he was forced to tug on his jeans to get them comfy. He hissed at the feel of his own hand squeezing good. "Not doing it, Rose," the Doctor half croaked. "Not taking advantage. You're hurt. Not doing it."

The harder he got, the harder it was for her to breathe. "Not doin what, Doctor?"

The Doctor closed his eyes to the look on her face, but it was no use. All he saw was a pair of beautiful brown irises growing wide and a pretty pink blush flushing her cheeks. "Stop it, Rose. I mean it. You need hugs an kisses, not..."

She purposely remained silent until he opened his eyes, then she blinked oh so innocently. "Not putting my mouth to good use?"

"That's it. I'm calling your mother and telling her to wash your mouth out."

"Why?" Rose asked, a cheeky little smile on her face despite the sting of a bust lip. "S'not dirty yet."

The Doctor's own face went blank of expression. "I know places where they'll wash your brain and I'm not afraid to take you there."

She had to laugh. Had no choice, really. Not with him being everything gentleman like and all that. It was why she loved him, even if there was no reason for him to be a gentleman. It was something she appreciated. "S'pose it beats the black hole threat."

"I only said that to stop you fixing my diet, which was just fine thank you very much."

"Chocolate cake, tea, and fish n chips isn't a diet, Doctor."

He had the decency to look somewhat chastised. "Well, no. But I was happy. Then you came along with your Sunday dinners and your English breakfasts. I blame your mum. Spoilt you she has. Sausages an bacon an eggs on a mornin. Shepard's pie for tea an what d'you get for supper, eh?"

Rose's lip no longer hurt when she smiled. "Hot chocolate and a caramel slice from Greggs."

"See? Spoilt."

"You spoil me, too, Doctor."

He returned her smile with one of his own. "Think it's the otherway round if you ask me. Now," he held up the arnica cream and wiggled the tube. "Let's get these bruises seen to, shall we?"

"There's jus' this one," Rose said, turning a little to the side to give him better access. "Oh, an my eye."

The Doctor wanted to look at the bruise on her thigh, to concentrate on fixing her, but he couldn't. All he could see was the shape of her bum hidden by little white knickers, the elastic stretching snug around the firm curves. The words he came out with weren't invented for a least forty thousand years. He couldn't keep from touching if he tried and his fingers brushed her skin, going from thigh to waist.

"Doctor, stop."

The Doctor looked her, unable to keep the burn of a thousand suns out of his eyes.

"If you don't wanna take advantage, then stop looking at me like that."


End file.
